Fun in the sun over Sukkot
From rock and hip hop festivals to chorale music, comedy and kite-flying, there’s no shortage of events over next week’s holiday
Sukkot is a magical time of year in Israel. The weather is still great and the buzz of the holiday is everywhere. There are loads of activities for the whole family, and for those on a limited budget, there are plenty low-cost and free attractions, too.
BoomBox Festival
Back for its fifth year, BoomBox brings together some of Israel’s top bands – including Balkan Beat Box, Hadag Nahash, Tuna, Mosh Ben Ari, Dudu Tessa, Avraham Tal and many more. A highlight will be a performance by this year’s Eurovision winner, Netta Barzilai. The festival began as a partnership between Zappa and the city of Hadera with the intention of bringing contemporary Israeli music to large audiences. It has been held at the waterside venue of Hadera Stream Park ever since.
September 22 from 9 p.m.-on. Tickets range from NIS 179-NIS 219. For more info visit boombox.co.il or call *9080.
Comedy for Koby
Comedy for Koby, a highly popular stand-up comedy tour that has become one of Israel’s most anticipated entertainment events each year, has announced a special Sukkot show with stops in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh and Ra’anana. The Sukkot special will feature Modi, an Israeli voice actor and standup comedian who was voted one of the top 10 comedians in New York City by The Hollywood Reporter and Backstage. These special shows will be hosted by Comedy for Koby founder Avi Liberman.
September 25, Jerusalem at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; September 27, Beit Shemesh at 8:30 p.m.; September 29, Ra’anana at 9:15 p.m. For tickets visit comedyforkoby.com.
New Vintage Festival
The annual New Vintage interdisciplinary arts festival gets under way in Yavne during the intermediate days of Sukkot. The festival will include a number of performances by some Israel’s top singers such as Rita, Ethnix and Dudu Tassa. Another highlight will be a performance of Solika, an original musical by Maor Sabag and Tair Sibony, directed by Rafi Nir, which draws on the history and culture of Jewish life in Morocco. The musical is spun around the true-life events of Solika Hajuel, a Jewish girl executed in Tangier in 1834, when she was just 17 years old.
September 25-27. For more info visit yavne.muni.il.
Abu Ghosh Festival
The 53rd annual Abu Ghosh Festival of vocal music returns during Sukkot. About 50 soloists, 200 choir members and 60 instrumentalists will participate in the country’s oldest vocal-music event. Highlights include a unique concert of South America’s all-time favorite songs with jazz singer Anna Shpitz, countertenor David Feldman and composer Uri Bracha, who are rearranging Sting, The Beatles, and some interesting Israeli artists into beautiful Elizabethan love songs. Performances take place in the 12th-century Crusader-Benedictine Church, situated in the heart of the village and on the hilltop in the Kiryat Ye’arim Church.
September 28-October 1. For tickets visit agfestival.co.il.
Tamar Festival
The annual Tamar Festival near the Dead Sea is one of Israel’s largest music festivals, featuring some of the country’s best musicians in the powerful setting of Masada. This year’s roster includes artists such as Balkan Beat Box, Beri Sakharof, Sarit Hadad, Avraham Tal and Yehuda Poliker. The festival also includes a special performance by American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, who will be accompanied by a string orchestra from the Ra’anana Symphonette. The sunrise concerts at the archaeological site atop Masada will feature the likes of David Broza and Dikla, and there is a free concert at Kibbutz Ein Gedi. The daily events include hikes and tours, as well as children’s activities.
September 25-28. For information and reservations call *3977 or visit tamarfestival. com.
Ramle World City Festival
The city of Ramle is hosting its second Ramle World City Festival this Sukkot. The festival offers live musical performances by artists such as Yehoram Gaon, Moshe Peretz, Sarit Hadad and Rotem Cohen. Also on offer are tours of the colorful Ramle Market, a taste of ethnic dishes and authentic street food, boating in the Pool of Arches, and workshops and activities for kids.
September 25-27 from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. For more info visit ramla.muni.il.
For the kids Gutman Museum of Art
Tel Aviv’s Nahum Gutman Museum of Art will hold special workshops for making Sukkah decorations in different styles from around the world, inspired by India, China and Brazil.
September 24 and 26 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free entry during workshop hours. For more info visit gutmanmuseum.co.il.
Design Museum Holon
During the week of Sukkot, the Design Museum Holon will offer a unique combination of activities as part of the “Sagmeister & Walsh: A Retrospective” exhibition. The activities include a special detective tour of the exhibition and a “communication portfolio” workshop for designing a personal message. Children will be fascinated by a wealth of colorful images made of unusual materials like yellow gum balloons, sugar cubes and even beetles.
September 24-October 1. For tickets visit dmh.org.il.
Sounds of Childhood Festival
The 18th Sounds of Childhood Festival gets underway at the Holon Theater from September 25-27. The festival will feature 20 performances, including several original productions with a shared theme of friendship and an emphasis on dialogue and tolerance, including Leah Goldberg’s classic children’s tale of tolerance, Room for Rent. Opening the festival will be popular Israeli hip-hop/funk band Hadag Nahash.
For more info and tickets visit hth.co.il.
Kite-Flying Festival
Children and adults alike can enjoy the colorful 33rd annual Kite-Flying Festival at the Israel Museum’s Billy Rose Art Garden. The festival draws a crowd of thousands who come for the spectacle of beautiful kites of all shapes and sizes, kite-making workshops, the opportunity to meet a fascinating family of professional kite-flyers, as well as kite-flying for amateurs and professionals.
September 25, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For more info visit www. imj.org.il.
Children’s Museum Holon
The Children’s Museum in Holon is hosting a bunch of Sukkot activities. However, the one that stands out is “The Beatles-The Mysterious Magic Tour.” Visitors will embark on a journey that examines why The Beatles are considered the most successful and beloved band in the world. The exhibition uses the example of The Beatles to understand music as a tool for creativity, communication between people, the development of one’s imagination, expression of emotions, and social and cultural values.
September 25 at 2:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. For tickets visitchildrensmuseum.org.il.
Ein Yael Museum
Jerusalem’s Ein Yael Museum presents the ninth Jerusalem Knights’ Festival which includes mock sword fighting; a workshop about princesses from the Middle Ages during which children can dress up in costumes and put on makeup; a bow and arrow class; pita baking on a taboun (clay oven); and workshops on Japanese origami, handheld fan-making and drawing on water.
September 29 and 30 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For more info visit einyael.co.il.